


feliz navidog

by helenfightslikepoetry



Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, F/F, Fluff, and they totally spoil him, they have a puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28154919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helenfightslikepoetry/pseuds/helenfightslikepoetry
Summary: "They had adopted a puppy called Gus from the local animal shelter three weeks earlier. He was half West Highland Terrier and half Chihuahua, so tiny he could fit a handbag. Getting a dog was something they’d wanted to do for a long time, and they’d eventually gone with adopting instead of buying a puppy in a more common way."basically just heline with a puppy
Relationships: Helen Blackthorn/Aline Penhallow
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	feliz navidog

It was a week til Christmas. It still hadn’t quite sunk into her yet. It was a week til Christmas and Aline had gotten everyone’s Christmas presents in time that year. And that meant she could just relax the next seven days, instead of hitting the mall after a long day at work and desperately trying to find the perfect gift for everyone. 

Despite her and Helen both being busy with work, they’d thankfully found the time to decorate the house for the holidays in between their shifts. A Christmas tree richly decorated with so many lights and ornaments that it was almost bordering on tacky was standing in one corner of the living room. Even more Christmas lights had been put up around the apartment - in the kitchen window, on the bookshelf, in a glass vase with pinecones in it. There were candles on almost every surface. And then there were three colourful Christmas stockings on the mantel. One for Helen, one for Aline, and on Helen’s demand, one for their puppy Gus. 

They had adopted a puppy called Gus from the local animal shelter three weeks earlier. He was half West Highland Terrier and half Chihuahua, so tiny he could fit a handbag. Getting a dog was something they’d wanted to do for a long time, and they’d eventually gone with adopting instead of buying a puppy in a more common way. It wasn't probably the best idea to get a puppy right before Christmas, but they had managed to work their work schedules so one of them would always be at home with Gus when the other was at work. And should an emergency arise, Helen's younger siblings were more than happy to dogsit him. Especially Ty. 

They’d both fallen in love with Gus the second they first saw him, but Helen had been absolutely besotted. She’d bought him a Christmas stocking and a tiny winter coat so he wouldn’t freeze outside. Aline had found it endearing, but she’d made one ground rule before they began their dog adoption process - the puppy wouldn’t sleep in the bed or on the sofa. They would get him enough soft and comfy beds around the apartment, so he could sleep in them. Helen had reluctantly caved, stating she understood her reasons but she still thought it was cruel. Over the weeks they'd had Gus, Aline had started to secretly agree with her, but she hadn't given her the satisfaction to gleefully say, "Told you so!" just yet. 

Tonight was one of the nights Aline was home alone with him, since Helen was in her office Christmas party. It was the first time their days off had coincided at the same time in three weeks, so she’d promised to be home early but Aline had insisted that there was no hurry, she should have fun with her colleagues, she and Gus would be just fine. Apart from a quick visit by her parents, she'd had a quiet night-in so far. 

Gus was, as usual, full of energy, even after the multiple trips outside that Aline had made with him in a bid to train him housebroken. They had played with his toy reindeer for what felt like hours. Sometimes she'd throw the toy and he'd fetch it. Sometimes, like now, they were both pulling and shaking poor Rudolph until Gus gave in and Aline threw it for him to fetch again. 

"Hey Gus Gus," Aline said when he brought the toy back to her again. "Mommy's exhausted. Won't you give it a rest?" 

Referring to herself as 'Mommy' to their dog was another thing she hadn't expected to find within herself. 

But Gus just stared at her demandingly. Clearly he was not about to give Aline a breather. 

She looked at the sofa longingly. She'd thought she would be on the couch in her pyjamas and under a blanket by now, but her puppy's relentlessness had taken her slightly by surprise. 

Even at the risk of being exposed to Helen who might come home any minute, she swiftly changed into her pyjamas, settled down on the sofa and took Gus in her arms. She had fully expected him to break free from her and claim the other end of the sofa to himself, but to her astonishment he'd stayed against Aline's chest instead. 

So she'd stayed mostly still where she was because she didn't want to disturb Gus, who was snoring softly against her. Aline was absorbed in Kevin’s shenanigans in New York City during another rerun of the Home Alone movies while gently stroking the sleeping dog in her arms, when she finally heard a key turn in the lock to signal that Helen had made it home from the Christmas party. She craned her neck to find Helen close the door behind her and toss her keys onto the side table. Her wife smiled brightly when their eyes met. 

She looked drop dead gorgeous in her tight, green and glittery long sleeved dress and a silly Christmas hair band. Her usually natural makeup was now replaced by green eyeliner and red eyeshadow, skilfully and elegantly done so it was striking but not distasteful. 

"Hi," Helen greeted her as she drew closer and bent down to kiss her forehead. 

"Hey," Aline smiled softly and looked up at her. Raising her eyebrow, Helen eyed the empty dog bed that they kept near the sofa and knelt down, reaching out to stroke Gus, who hadn't moved an inch after initially raising his head slightly at the noises upon Helen's arrival. 

"Hello Gus Gus," she cooed at him gently. He stirred. 

"Oh no no no, don't wake him up. I just put him to bed and I don't want to get up to take him out to pee again. It's so comfy," Aline whispered and put a protective hand over Gus. 

"You what now?" Helen laughed heartily. "You were the one who insisted he wouldn't sleep in bed with us and now we're that couple who puts a dog to bed? He's a puppy Aline, not a baby." 

"Exactly. A baby dog," Aline cooed and stroked Gus gently. Helen laughed softly again and walked around the coach to sit down next to Aline and curled her legs beneath her.

She had known Aline couldn't keep up her pretense that she didn't want Gus in the bed for much longer, and she felt smug for having been right. And she was going to let her hear about it for a long time yet. 

"I was afraid this would happen," she said fondly. "That we'd spoil him rotten. Though I thought it would be me, not you." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Aline murmured into Gus' fur before turning her gaze to her wife. "Besides, it's not my fault. It's what he does to people. Even dad couldn't resist him." 

"Your parents were here?" 

"Yeah, they dropped by to bring the presents. Mom said they'll be dead busy before they leave for the Alps, so that's why they opted to come now." 

Helen nodded slowly. "And your  _ dad _ loved him?" 

"I know, right," Aline laughed. "He sat on the floor and let him lick and nibble at his ears and didn't tell him off once."

"Well, I see you really are a heart-melter," Helen said to Gus who finally got up from Aline's lap and crawled over to Helen to greet her properly. He licked her face and unlike her father-in-law, she told him to stop after a while. His breath stank due to his teething, or so she had read. 

When she looked up, she saw Aline gently smiling at her. She leant forward and took the silly band off Helen's head before carefully placing it onto the coffee table and capturing her lips in a soft kiss. 

"Did you have fun?" she mumbled against her lips, kissing her again before giving her a chance to respond. 

"Yeah. Lots of food, lots of drinks, can't complain," she said and pecked Aline one last time before pulling away. "Oh, and Magnus did some magic tricks."

"He didn't," Aline giggled disbelievingly.

"He did," Helen confirmed. "And it was a hit. Everyone loved his tricks." 

"You work with weird people." 

"They were quite good actually. He didn't do anything lame like pull coins behind anyone's ears, I think he's actually been practising." 

"Well, good for him," Aline smiled and lowered her gaze on her tight fitting dress, eyeing her body slowly. Helen knew that look. 

"Are you checking me out?" she asked teasingly, though she knew the answer before she was given one. 

"Maybe," Aline replied unashamedly. 

"That's very forward of you." 

"That's a very nice dress you're wearing." 

Helen breathed a laugh. She lowered her eyes coyly before looking up again. Aline was looking at her intently, her head tilted. 

"It's quite uncomfortable, too," she said quietly. All amusement had gone from her voice. 

"Want me to take it off for you?" Aline suggested and raised her eyebrows suggestively. 

Helen narrowed her eyes slowly. "I would, but we'd have to wake this one up and you just put him to bed," she smirked and inclined her head toward Gus, who had moved to sleep partly on Aline's legs. 

The expression on Aline's face was totally worth not taking on her suggestion and throwing herself on her, letting her help her out of the dress. 

"But I'll tell you what," she said brightly, basking in her glorious win. "I'll go change into something equally uncomfortable, and while I'm gone you take care of our baby. And when I get back, we'll open that bottle of wine we bought ages ago and later, if you're a good girl, you can help me out of my nightwear. I'll wear the red one you like," she whispered and winked, leaning in for a quick kiss before getting up from the sofa and leaving a very speechless Aline behind without waiting for an answer. 

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
